Books Tagged With who - occupation - artist

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Summary: With the world clinging to a fragile peace forced on the Fae by humanity after the Faerie Wars, metalsmith Alex Blackwood is plunged into the world of the half-fae who traffick in illegal magical artifacts. Her best friend’s murder and his cryptic last message place her in the crosshairs of a scheme to reignite the decade-old war between humans and fae. Worse, violent attacks against her and the arrival of a fae knight on a mission force Alex to face a devastating revelation of who and what she is. To catch a killer, retrieve a dangerous artifact, and stop a war, Alex will have to accept that she’s an unregistered fae “halfer” with a unique magical talent—a talent that would change everything she believes about her past, her art, and her future. Her world is crumbling around her, and Alex will have to decide who to trust if she and the world are going to survive.

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Summary: Androids & Aliens is Scott's third short story collection - eight sci fi and sci-fantasy shorts that run the gamut from cyborgs to (comedic) alien invasions: Rise: The rise in sea levels caused by climate change swallowed Venice beneath the lagoon half a century ago. But what if we could bring it back? Ping: I was a real estate agent by day, and a museum curator in the evening at a sci-fi museum. What I saw one night changed everything. What the Rain Brings: Miriam struggles to make a living in post-climate-change Vancouver. But her friend Catalina has it even worse in the Arizona desert. So Miri hatches a plan. High Seven: Zan dreams of making full reals - immersive live virtual reality skins - but his low score may doom him to a life of cheap coding. Full Real: Dek's given up his life of spying for the city. But one more case awaits him. Will he regret it more if he takes it, or turns it down? Shit City: The Bay Area is being walloped by a hurricane, and seventeen-year-old Jason Vasquez has been relocated to a refugee city in the Nevada Desert. Will it be temporary shelter, or change his life? Firedrake: Kerry has always wondered about his deadly powers. But a mysterious bunch of violet roses starts him on the path to discovery - even if he's not sure he's going to like what he finds. The Last Human Heart: I'm one of the Remainers, the few cyborg humans still living on this busted planet. But if my still-human heart finally gives out, I may not live to find out the truth about who I am. This is the first time all of these stories have all been collected in one place, and the first publication of the Pacific Climate Tryptich - What the Rain Brings, High Seven, and Full Real - in any form.

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Summary: Artists use all manner of materials to express their vision, to interpret the world around them, to affect the hearts and minds of their audience. But what if the artist himself were the medium? And what if artistic inspiration weren’t the only force at work? If painter Stefan Cobbe and art investigator Luke Morganstern don’t answer those questions fast, they stand to lose their reputations, their relationship — and their lives.   **Omnibus edition contains both The Artist’s Touch and Tested in Fire

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Summary: Willem’s father never approved of his artistic talents, his choices in life, or the fact that he’s gay. When the only thing Horst leaves to Willem is the family cat, he thinks it’s his father’s last insult from the grave. That is, until the cat starts talking to him. Though Willem’s lost his boyfriend, his home, and his job, Kasha, who claims to be a magic cat, reassures him that all will be well. All he needs is Willem’s trust and a good pair of boots. But giving boots to a talking cat has unexpected consequences when odd events ambush Willem at every turn, such as the appearance of a handsome stranger in his arms at night. While he begins to suspect Kasha’s plans might be dangerous for all involved, how can he distrust such a charming kitty in cowboy boots?

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Summary: When humans forsake the temples, the gods need to find other employment. Hades opens Brandywine Investigations after his divorce and his subsequent move to the modern world. If he was hoping for boring infidelity cases and lost dogs, he’s sorely mistaken as murder and mayhem find his agency and his extended family at an astonishing rate. Includes: Canines, Crosshairs & Corpses: Brandywine Investigations #1 No Enemy But Time: Brandywine Investigations #2 Dragons, Diamonds & Discord: Brandywine Investigations #3

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Summary: An Imperial prince can only hide for so long—but his solution of a hastily invented engagement could backfire spectacularly. Marsh Kensinger's work as the utility mechanic for Bremen Station keeps his life interesting - but never quite as interesting as finding a pilot still hidden inside a hibernation drawer in what should have been a salvage craft. He knows he shouldn't get involved, but the Altairian Imperial crest on the private craft and the semi-conscious pilot's odd questions pique his always-whirling curiosity. Still unattached at a concerning age for an imperial son, Prince Shiro Shinohara hadn't been running from the endless, mind-numbing rounds of omiai his mother, the Empress, had mandated. Not exactly. He'd just wanted a break from persistent suitors at the family retreat on Ceti Tau. The short respite becomes a panicked flight for his life when one of the suitors stalking him attacks the family compound. Worried for the soldiers he was forced to leave behind, afraid there's a conspiracy to kidnap him, Shiro confides in the handsome mechanic who found him and in a moment of panic, concocts the fiction of a serious relationship with Marsh. It's only until Shiro's people can reach him and he can press charges back home. Marsh is willing to play along and Shiro's just going to have to keep himself together and not, under any circumstances, fall for the wonderful, generous man who refuses to stop helping him.

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Summary: My kid, Romy, says I'm old and she's worried about me. What's to worry about... aside from Jordan, my ex? Really, she didn't have to come all the way home to check on me. It's all good—especially Nova, the girl at the drive-up coffee shop. I keep to my work and surfing the local breaks to keep her out of my head... But it doesn't work. Her perfect skin and brilliant hair crash through my mind and draw me to her—like a super-moon tide. There's something about her... Bodie Catalan knows second chances don't just happen after a hard life, wracked by mistakes. Every now and again, however, the universe throws down a wildcard. Drive-Up is a fabulist, sentimental, 21st century tale. It rides the beach breaks along the shores of several genres and connects the wildcard thrown to entangled, beach-bound lives and the inexorable tidal change that moves all that cross it. Dive into this tale and see what's been served at the Drive-Up.

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Summary: “Aye, well, what is an angel, anyway?” At Samhain, things in Llwyncudd are taking a turn for the strange and bizarre. The red dragon is spotted around town trying to dig its own grave whilst his vessel is happily participating in life elsewhere. Did Stewart’s dragon spirit leave him? Michael, can’t live with the thought. Meanwhile, Dr Lilibeth Blackthorne, PsyD, has moved to town at her brother Sam’s suggestion. Many of its residents are in desperate need of her counselling services and she’s uniquely qualified—even if she’s never particularly seen multiple personalities quite like this. Fairy-halfling Arthen also joins the town after being raised in the local fairy village on the other side. Despite the odd cultural clashes of living in a society that requires silly things like clothing, he is making many new friends and is more special than his former masters would have him believe. Join our friends as they battle their demons from the darker side of the veil in Green Hills and Battlefields—the thrilling fifth book of the Green Hills Series by Celyn Kendrick!

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Summary: “Will I always be so alone, living as a dragon among the sheep?” Jane Dawson is an American on a journey of midlife makeover. Abandoning a tech career in Boston, she and her sheepdog, Moss, move to Wales in search of a simpler life, connection and community without the filter of the Internet. But who knew she would stumble over the red Welsh dragon, y Ddraig Goch? Actually, she stumbles over her own suitcase and falls on her face in the middle of Main Street. But her plea for help (or maybe it was just swearing) is answered by the shy local dragon who doesn’t know he’s a dragon—Stewart Rygby. But what rational, sane person believes in dragons and fairies? Why have such myths and legends persisted in the misty green hills of Wales over the aeons? And why does Moss need to mark everything in sight—including her new landlord? Join us as our dragons awaken from their slumber in Green Hills and Daffodils—the exciting first book in the Green Hills Series by Celyn Kendrick!

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Summary: “Ye never ken what beasties lurk in the water…” The white and red dragons have been spiritual soulmates for as long as anyone can remember. Finally, their human vessels Stewart and Michael are together once more—except one of them has a hard time remembering or believing that he’s a dragon. As his mysterious family’s past starts revealing itself, Stewart Rygby has been made aware of his responsibility to manage and protect vast estate holdings that are in his care—which includes the local fairy village. There is also the impending problem of a lake resort planned to be built dangerously close to the dragons’ ancient lair. While Father Aron has the power to prevent this egregious trespass, it may take some angelic intervention to convince him to accept such a crusade on faith. Join us as our dragons come together for another lifetime in Green Hills and Dragon Tales—the momentous second book in the Green Hills Series by Celyn Kendrick!

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Summary: “You probably shouldn’t stop to talk to strange men, dragons or fairies…” Stewart Rygby and Michael Dougal are looking forward to a new chapter in a new lifetime together, but the waiting is driving them mad. It also doesn’t help that Stewart’s mother is prone to random outbursts of poetry punctuated by the pealing of bells in the local fairy village. Whilst visiting Michael in Scotland, Stewart also gets to meet his fiancé’s cousin and the future mother of their children—Shannon Anderson. After getting dumped by her girlfriend of ten years by sticky note, she’s sick of pretences and vows to live life differently and by her own rules. Meanwhile, back in Llwyncudd, there’s a new vicar in town. Father Aron Lewis tries to look at retirement and the odd turn his life has taken as a positive—and one quite possibly fated by God. But God seems to have a twisted sense of humour. Join us for a puppy poppy tea party pealing parade in Green Hills and Fairy Bells—the prophetic third book in the Green Hills Series by Celyn Kendrick!

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Summary: “Who but God could have created such a bewitching creature?” In the 6th century, Brother Elis was simply trying his best to serve God during a time of relative political peace and prosperity. But in a world full of rules written by man, how can he be at peace with the life that God has set before him? Now, in the 21st century, for the first lifetime in their ancient dragon memories, Stewart Rygby and Michael Dougal are free to marry one another. Is this finally their time to shine? When a messenger from the other side arrives on their doorstep, he brings more news from the fairy realm than the simple tidings from the Grand High Council of y Pentref Cudd. His presence demonstrates how little everyone truly knows about fairy society. As the mysterious and inexplicable spirit realm is revealed, retired vicar Father Aron is finally getting some very literal answers to his spiritual questions. Will he be able to keep such secrets to himself so that Stewart and Michael can live in anonymity? Join us for a wedding as esoteric mysteries are revealed in Green Hills and Holy Wells—the fourth book in the Green Hills Series by Celyn Kendrick!

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Summary: Genevieve doesn't know if her unhappiness and feelings of not fitting in are different from anyone else's on her college campus. Recovering from a break-up and struggling with depression, she takes comfort in her impulsive sketches of strange creatures to try to escape the dark cloud that looms over her. But the truth is her place in this world is a lot more complicated than she could ever imagine. With two strange men following her, vines that engulf her dorm overnight, and a cactus that overruns the campus library, she is forced to face the possibility that her origins are more mysterious than the fact that she was abandoned as a baby. Especially as a powerful urge takes hold of her to draw something new and frightening. Can it be that her reality is stranger than her imagination? The one thing she can't imagine is that her happiness and talents just might be the key to save or destroy an invisible world.

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Summary: Love defies time, crosses the infinite distance of space, and sparks formidable magics in the hearts of those it touches. And immortality? Yeah, it’s got that covered, too. In this powerful volume, Pop Seagull Publishing presents twelve science fiction and fantasy short stories on the theme of love and its role as a force of nature. Follow an ambitious 1930’s journalist and her high-society boyfriend as they defend the world from evil beings that hide in shadows. Can love prevail when science fails? Take a wild ride with Zephraim Cochrane as he searches for his long lost love through inter-dimensional travel. After all, the best inventions are always made to get dates. Embark on a whirlwind romance with a creature of the Fey in seven days, a beautiful story of friendship and finding self-love before all else. Descend into a very Torontonian sort of hell in search of lost love in Melanie in the underworld... just don’t forget to pet the corgi. You’ll find these adventures, and many more, inside.

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Summary: England, 1910 Monty, along with his best friend Bishop, investigates an odd seal-like creature swimming in Manchester Lake. The pair soon realize they've found a selkie when the magnificent animal transforms into the most gorgeous man either of them has ever seen. Determined to discover the origins of the mystical man, they bundle him into Bishop's brand-new electric automobile and whisk him off to London. There they find a host of distractions: a tastefully debauched house party hosted by silver-tongued aristocrats, and a queerly European-inspired novelty called the night club. Both are filled with a cast of characters sometimes amusing and sometimes frightening. And as the night unfolds, Monty comes face-to-face with ghoulish agents of the occult as well as revelations from the past. Most surprisingly of all, Monty finds himself falling for the beautiful creature from the lake, who seems equally interested in him. Can he really find himself in love with a man he has only just met? Or do they have a deeper connection which goes much further back? And what does it all have to do with the memories of his trip to Paris three years prior? The mystery of the selkie from Manchester Lake is only the beginning, and before their adventure is finished Monty will see the culmination of long suppressed secrets explode in a firestorm of magic and passion!

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Summary: A single father fights to retain control as he shares his body and mind with an evolving AI. It’s been nine years since the government banned all technology. So, when Joel Lodowick, a young transgender father struggling to support his five-year-old daughter, has an old bionic upload itself into his head, he is faced with a decision: Go to the cops and risk prosecution? Or use the robot’s skills to turn his life around? Scared of losing his daughter, Joel chooses the latter. Heightened intelligence and physical enhancements quickly land him a better job and a brighter future. But things take a sinister turn when Joel realizes his uninvited companion has an agenda of its own, which may or may not include leaving him in control. Unable to approach the government who covered up the truth about AI sentience, Joel finds himself on the run. With his daughter’s life on the line and his own body turning against him, he must find a way to convince the bionic in his head to value his human life before he loses the chance forever. Find out what happens in My Heart is Human by Reese Hogan!

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Summary: Every story has a beginning…. Dragons. Angels fear them and demons follow them. Formidable beasts of incredible power, they fight each other to the death for dominance. But dwindling dragon numbers cause alarm among the angelic ranks. Surely when the dragons have finished killing each other, the victors will search elsewhere for conquest… maybe even the Upper Realm. Roland, an angelic artist of significant talent, doesn’t know what to believe. Part of him longs to see a dragon in person, and his peaceful life of contentment is wearing thin. He wants passion, desire, adventure, and love. He gets more than he bargained for when he and his sister are ambushed and captured by demons, and they bring him to a creature who surpasses Roland’s wildest imaginings. But the mighty dragon Asagoroth is not all that he seems. Something sparks between him and Roland. Something neither anticipated. Something that will shake the cosmos to its core. Note to readers: this is the second edition, fully revised and updated.

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Summary: Sean has an otherworldly hangover. Either he’s taken something stronger than beer, or fairies are real. Or both… When Sean meets Tam, his chosen one at a local bar, he thinks his luck may have taken a turn for the better. But when he accidentally drinks a spiked drink, he comes to a startling realisation. Either he is losing his mind or fairies are real. Enter Evie, who bears a striking resemblance to Tam, but is anything but human. Trapped in Sean's world, she brings her own brand of sparkly chaos which may scare Tam off for good. Can Sean find a way to fix things with his fairy, Tam and himself before the doors close forever?

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Summary: After the disaster of global warming, the world has gotten its act together. People are positive, sensible, and intent on creating a better future and a just present. And it’s working! So, in a world where everyone makes good decisions, what could possibly go wrong? Well, other people. Mardy is a 26-year old gay man who dreams of being a full-time machine-tool artist. He brims with ideas, puts in the hours, and has a solid circle of friends—both fellow artists and the artificial intelligences he works with. But he’s always coming in second to another machine-tool artist at his makerspace. He’s dealing with that, thanks to the highly effective psychotherapy of the future, but then he meets his irritatingly successful rival’s twin—and falls for him hard. Consequences ensue, and fast, driving Mardy not just to pursue his artistic dreams, but to try to liberate his AI friends from servitude, and find love in the process.

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Summary: RISE (noun / verb) Eight definitions to inspire writers around the world, and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell: 1) An upward slope or movement 2) A beginning or origin 3) An increase in amount or number 4) An angry reaction 5) To take up arms 6) To return from death 7) To become heartened or elated 8) To exert oneself to meet a challenge Rise features 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.